Bayonet-scabbard.



No. 831,770. PATENTED SEPT. 25, 1906. F. A. BRAGG.

BAYONET SCABBARD.

APPLICATION FILED 00T.. 3o. 1905.

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FREDERICK A. BRAGG, OF SPRINGFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS.

EsAYoNl-:T-'SCABBARD.I

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 25, 1906.

Application filed October 30, 1905. Serial No. 2841.951.

T0 au whom, may cm2/cern.-

Be it known that I, FREDERICK A. BRAGG, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Springfield, in the county of Hampden and State of Massachusetts, have invented new and useful Improvements in Bayonet- Scabbards, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to the construction of scabbards for bayonets, swords, and the like, the object of the invention being to provide a scabbard primarily for the reception of an edged bayonet, like the so called knife-bayonet, of such construction as to permit the introduction of the bayonet to the scabbard without permitting the sharpened edge thereof to come in contact with the wall of the scabbard, whereby it might be dulled, the construction being adapted to a bayonet or sword having a double or single edge.

A further object of the invention lies in the provision of means for protecting the interior of the scabbard and in certain other details of construction, all as will be fully described in the following specification and clearly summarized in the claims appended thereto, the invention being fully illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is a side elevation of a scabbard in which the invention is embodied. Fig. 2 is a vertical section, on a somewhat-enlarged scale, taken on line 2 2 of F ig. l, showing the scabbard construction and showing also in section the blade of a double-edged knifebayonet therein. Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2, showing a bayonet having a single cutting edge. Fig. 4 is a side elevation of a portion of the blade of a bayonet, showing in the side thereof one of the grooves which engages longitudinally-disposed internal ribs in the scabbard, whereby the bayonet is guided. F ig. 5 shows in? side elevation, partly in section and in end elevation, a metal tube from which the scabbard is formed. Fig. 6 is a sectional elevation of the open end of the scabbard, showing the method of applying hooks thereto with whi ch the hilt of the bayonet engages.

For the sake of brevity the word "bayonet will be used throughout this specification to indicate the arm or implement inclosed by the scabbard, and it is to be understood that this term is synonymous with any cutting instrument it is desirable to carry in a sheath or scabbard to which the invention is applicable.

Referring now to the drawings, the scabbard embodies, preferably, ametal body, (indicated by (L,) which preferably is incased in a leather or other suitable covering, (indicated by b in Fig. 6,) and applied so as to ht the body closely. Preferably the metal body is made of aluminium, because of its non-corrosive qualities and lightness, though any metal may be used, and I prefer to make the same by taking a tube of aluminium, as c, Fig. 5, and swage down one end thereof, which is to constitute the point of the scabbard, whereby a suitable taper is formed, as shown by the dotted line d. The tube is then flattened in a manner well known in the art and a suitably-grooved die inserted therein and the opposite flat lsides of the scabbard indented by means of a press or otherwise to form two longitudinally-disposed depressions c in the opposite sides of the scabbard, whose inner faces constitute the internal ribs f.

The bayonet g is manufactured with two grooves 7L on the flat sides thereof, as shown in the sectional views 2 and 3, and one of which is shown in side elevation in Fig. 4, which extend nearly to the point of the bayonet and which are adapted to fit the two ribs f in the body of the scabbard when the bayonet is introduced into the latter to the end that as the bayonet is pushed home the sharpened edge or edges thereof may not come in contact with the scabbard. This permits the maintenance of an edge on the bayonet which would be impossible if the latter were permitted to come in contact with the scabbard.

A further novel feature of the invention consists in lining the scabbard with a thin sheet of celluloid, as indicated by le, Figs. 2 and 3, whereby the blade is better protected and whereby should the edge of the bayonet come in contact with the wall of the scabbard accidentally as the point is introduced into the open end thereof, as might well be the case in view of the fact that the grooves in the blade cannot extend quite to the point of the latter, this lining will prevent the dulling of the edge near the point. This lining 'may be of other material than celluloid, if desired, although the latter is preferred, and when applied to the scabbard is secured to the inner wall of the latter by the applicationof heat and pressure, as well known in the art.

In forming the metal body of the scabbard I prefer to thicken the open end thereof, as at m, to permit, if desired, the application IOO IIO-

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thereto of the hooks o, whereby the hilt of the bayonet or sword and the scabbard may be locked together. in the construction of a bayonet, sword, or other pointed tool the formation of the point obviously involves the tapering not only of the two edges in converging lines, but also the two flat sides thereof in the same manner, and when the grooves h are formed in the Hat sides of the arm they would naturallyy run out to nothing near the point, as shown in Fig. 4, and thus a natural entrance into these grooves is provided for the ribs f when the bayonet is introduced in the scabbard.

Obviously, this invention is applicable to any scabbard or sheath for any cutting instrument the edge of which it is desired to protect and the body of which is capable of having formed therein guiding-grooves which will permit the insertion of the instrument into the scabbard or sheathwithout permitting the cutting edges to come into contact with the latter.

The bayonet must obviously fit the ribs of the'scabbard closely enough to prevent any play of the bayonet therein which would permit the contact of the sharp edge thereof with the wall of the scabbard. Furthermore, it is obvious that it would be entirely within the scope of the invention to form longitudinallydisposed ribs on the bayonet and internal longitudinally-disposed grooves inthe opposite walls of the scabbard.

Having thus described my invention, what l claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is-

1. A seamless scabbard or the like having interengaging devices thereon to guide the bayonet into the same to prevent the contact of the sharp edge of the bayonet with the interior thereof, the interengaging devices in cluding longitudinal ribs integral with the scabbard.y

2. A seamless scabbard orthe likehaving a tongue-and-groove connection with the bayonet whereby the movement of the latter into the same may take place without permitting the contact of the cutting edge thereof with the wall of the scabbard, the tongue being integral with the scabbard.

3. A seamless aluminium bayonet-scabbard having a longitudinally-disposed internal rib parallel with the aXis ofthe scabbard to engage a groove inthe side of the bayonet, whereby the edge of the latter will not touch the wall of the scabbard when introduced therein, and a plastic lining for the scabbard.

4. A seamless bayonet-scabbard having two longitudinally-disposed ribs on opposite sides of the same to engage similarly-disposed grooves in the bayonet, the distance of the ribs from the interior wall-of the scabbard being suchthat the sharp edgev of thebayonet will not touch the wall of the same when in place.

5. A seamless bayonet-scabbard` having a longitudinalrib for engaging la corresponding groove in the bayonet, and extending a short distance from theopen end thereof, and of a width and depthv sufficiently large to securely hold the bayonet in a rigid position within thescabbard to prevent the edge of the bayonet touching the interior wall of the same wheny in, place, and a lining of plastic material for the scabbard.

WM. H. CHAPIN, K. CLEMoNs. 

